iPhone customer is upset with Apple over the lack of a user-replaceable battery

The iPhone has been parading through news headlines ever
since its early January
unveil at MacWorld 2007. When the bulk of the tech press was roaming around
Las Vegas totally underwhelmed by the Consumer Electronics Show, Apple was
spilling the beans on a product that had been long
rumored.

During its unveil, Apple went over the bulk of the iPhone's
features and reporters were quick to point out its deficiencies. A few minuses
that were harped upon with regards to the iPhone included its lack of a
physical keyboard and its sealed battery.

The lack of a physical keyboard has been overcome by many
iPhones users who have become accustomed to the on-screen alternative, but many
still harp on the lack of a user-replaceable battery.

Apple claims that the iPhone's battery is good for 400 charge/discharge cycles.
The design specifications for the iPhone note that the battery will retain 80
percent of its charge after 400 cycles have been exhausted.

For those that weren't satisfied with 400 charge cycles or
experience greatly diminished battery life, Apple announced its $85.95 battery
replacement program. Under the program, customers would pay $79 plus $6.95
shipping in the event of an iPhone battery failure. And considering that users
would be without an iPhone a week or more for repairs, Apple also announced
that it would rent an iPhone ($29) to those who couldn't be without a phone.

One iPhone customer wasn't happy at all with the iPhone's
battery life or the two alternatives to replacing a defective battery and filed
a class-action lawsuit against Apple as a result. In the suit, Jose Trujillo
claims that:

Unknown
to the Plaintiff, and undisclosed to the public, prior to purchase, the iPhone
is a sealed unit with its battery soldered on the inside of the device so that
it cannot be changed by the owner.

The suit goes on state:

The
battery enclosed in the iPhone can only be charged approximately 300 times
before it will be in need of replacement, necessitating a new battery annually
for owners of the iPhone.

To the first point; the fact that the battery was not
replaceable was disclosed to the public from the very beginning and is nothing
new. Secondly, the suit claims that the iPhone battery can only be charged for
300 times before it needs replacement. Apple clearly states that the iPhone’s
battery will retain 80 percent capacity even after its design specifications of
400 cycles.

The full text of the complaint can be viewed at Gizmodo,
but it's doubtful that the suit will gain much traction in court.

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Hutz: Mr. Simpson, this is the most blatant case of fraudulent advertising since my suit against the film, "The Never-Ending Story". Homer: So. Do you think I have a case? Hutz: Homer, I don't use the word "hero" very often, but you are the greatest hero in American history. Homer: Woo hoo!

I have placed this quote here in honour of the movie being out today, but also to illustrate the ridiculous of this lawsuit.

KT

"Death Is Very Likely The Single Best Invention Of Life" -- Steve Jobs